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TRANSACTIONS LJVKUI'OOL V, ! l)LO(i K'A L SOCIETY 



only lays two. But the other fishes' only spawn during 

 one or two months during the year, while the skate 

 probably spawns during most of the year. 



The plaice and da b.— These fishes (and also 

 the other flukes and the sole) are very like the round fishes 

 as far as their structure and method of breeding is con- 

 cerned. But they are flat instead of round. The 

 coloured side of a plaice is not its back, but is really its 

 right side. Its head has been twisted so that both its 

 eyes appear to be on the right side of the body. 



The sole and solenett e. — The solenette is 

 often mistaken for a young sole. It never grows to more 

 than about five inches in length. It differs in appearance 

 from a young sole in being redder in colour and in having 

 bigger scales. If a solenette of 4-5 inches long is opened 

 about March, spawn will be found in it — either eggs or 

 milt. This shews that it is a full-grown fish. Spawn 

 will never be found in a sole of the same size. 



Male and female soles. 



Sizes at which fishes spaw n. — A fish 

 is called mature when it spawns for the first time. The 

 sizes at which various fishes come to maturity differ. 



The Plaice becomes mature at about 15 inches long. 



Dab „ „ „ 5 



Flounder ,, ,, ,, 11 



Sole „ „ „ 12 



Cod „ „ „ 30 



Haddock „ „ „ 12 



Whiting „ „ „ 11 



These are the average sizes for the females. The 

 males are usually smaller than the females, and also 

 produce milt for the first time at a smaller size. 



The sprat and herrin g. — This is another 



